In Episode 22 of Food Matters well-renowned Chef, TV Cook, and Food Media Broadcaster Aisling Larkin chats about The Season Of Pies
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The Season of Pies:
A Brief History of Pies in Winter/: Pies have been a winter staple for centuries, rooted in practicality and tradition. - Early pies, or "pyes," were medieval dishes designed to preserve meat during cold months. - Sweet pies gained prominence in the 16th century, with ingredients like dried fruits and spices used to evoke warmth and festivity.
Why Pies Feel Like Winter: They embody the season's spirit of comfort, community, and indulgence. - Warm pies straight from the oven create a cosy atmosphere, warding off winter's chill. - The ritual of baking—a mindful, slow process—aligns with the reflective pace of the season.
The Versatility of Winter Pies:
Savory: Think chicken pot pie, beef and ale pie, or mushroom and chestnut pie, each wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust.
Sweet: Classics like apple pie, pecan pie, and cranberry-pear galettes celebrate winter produce. -
Seasonal Ingredients That Shine in Pies:
Sweet Fillings: Apples, pears, cranberries, quince, and pumpkin, paired with warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Savory Fillings: Root vegetables (parsnips, turnips, carrots), winter greens, hearty meats, and creamy cheeses.
Pies as a Cultural Anchor: Holiday gatherings often centre around the pie—whether it's pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or mince pies at Christmas. - The act of sharing a pie reinforces togetherness, making it a symbol of generosity and celebration. -
Pastry - see below
Filling - meat/veg, creamy sauce, spices, aromatics, herbs, season
Sauce - creamy - bechamel, cornflour & cream, stock
Pastry:
Puff Pastry
Mini Vol au Vont Pies
Filo Pastry
Shortcrust pastry
Potato
Filling:
Chicken and Bacon
Chicken & Mushroom
Seafood
Cheese & Onion
Beef & Guinness Pie
Spinach & Feta Filo Pie
Mushroom, Spinach & Gruyere
Beef Wellington
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Pie** Lamb simmered with apricots, almonds, and warm spices like cinnamon and cumin, wrapped in filo pastry.
Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Manchego Pie** Spicy chorizo with roasted red peppers and melted Manchego cheese in a Spanish-inspired pie
Sweet Potato and Harissa Pie**: A mash of roasted sweet potato spiced with harissa and smoked paprika, layered with crumbled feta in a flaky pastry crust.
Dessert:
Lemon meringue pie
Chocolate and peanut butter tart
Banoffee pie
Apple pie
Should we get on to the very important business of mince pies …
Ingredients:
Mincemeat
- 200 g cooking apples no need to peel
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 2 tbsp port
- 2 tbsp rum
- 120 g suet
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 350 g mix of raisins sultanas, currants
- 200 g mixed peel
- 100 g ground almonds
- 150 g brown sugar
Pastry:
- 225 g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 150 g butter chilled and diced
- 20 g icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 45 ml cold water
Instructions:
Mincemeat Prep
- Grate the apples. Weight and measure everything into a large bowl. Mix well. Cover overnight to allow the flavours to develop.
- Preheat the oven to 120℃. Spread out the mixture on an oven-proof dish, cover loosely with foil and bake for 3 hours. Indulge all your senses in the delicious smells as it cooks. Stir occasionally. When complete, allow to cool and sterilise jars.
- To sterilise some old glass jam jars, turn the oven up to 180℃ or gas mark 4 . Wash the jars in warm soapy water. Rinse them very well, dry thoroughly and place them in the oven at for 5 minutes.
- When the minced meat is cooled, place the mixture in the jars, seal tight and place in the pantry for a few weeks until ready to use.
Pastry
- Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
- Mix the egg yolk with the water, make a well in the centre and then using a butter knife add it to the dry ingredients.
- Knead gently, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Mince Pies
- Roll out the pastry about 3mm thick. Find something about 7.5cm wide and use this to cut out 12 circles. Gently press these into the bun tin. Allow it to protrude above the tin to allow for shrinkage when cooked.
- Spoon 2/3 tsp of the mixture into the centre.
- Roll out the remaining pastry and cut off the top - this can be full circles ( 6cm) or stars.
- Damp the edges of the pastry and press down.
- Paint with egg white and dust with castor sugar.
- Bake at 190℃ for 20-25 minutes.
- Leave in the tins for 5 minutes then cool on a wire rack.
- Serve warm with a dollop of cream and custard.
Notes
Other uses for mince meat.
Mince pie porridge - bircher muesli apple and Mincemeat Crumble Cake. - basic bun/maderia mixture and stir in chunks of apples and dollops of mincemeat and top with a little brown sugar crumbleDark chocolate and mincemeat muffins with a cinnamon crumbleMince pie swirlsFreezing - yes best to freeze them unbaked. Pop in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Bake from frozen for about 25 minutes or until piping hot in the middle.
Pastry / Crust Variations.
Sweet short-crust pastry - egg and icing sugar. Go one step further - orange zest into the icing I like to mix it up - pastry on the bottom and a crumble on the top or my ultimate favourite and these do take a little more time is the Viennese swirl top SO buttery and light and crumbly… they are divine.Vegan - dairy-free margarine or coconut oil
